Blogging – 6 part mini series: Everything you need to know but were afraid to ask

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase .

Hello Lovelies!

Today starts part one of my 6 part mini series “Everything you need to know about blogging but were afraid to ask”.

In this series we will explore:-

1. Why you should start a blog.

2. How to start your own blog (in minutes).

3. What to consider BEFORE you start blogging.

4. Tips for new bloggers.

5. Monetizing your new site, and

6. Driving traffic.

Why should you start a Blog?

Well… why not?

If you weren’t interested in anything “bloggy” you wouldn’t be here, right? I sign up for at least three new Blog sites each week and I just love the diversity of the information I receive. I adore the fact that I personally chose to receive this information about things I’m interested in and not that some Spam Bot somewhere decided, based on an algorithm, to shove some random weird stuff in my face.

I mean – I’m not averse to random weird stuff but, you know..this is business.

Are you looking for a creative outlet? 

That was my deal. I don’t have an artistic bone in my body but I can write. I decided that I needed a creative outlet to counterbalance my stuffy bean counter side (Financial controller – in charge of counting ALL of the Beans). I tried Art, floral arrangements, DIY beauty products, vinyl decals on mugs with my CriCut, making baby tutu’s, cooking… and I’m sure there are a few more and the final outcome? I SUCKED at all of them.

I sucked because I did not have a passion for them. I also know that I have toyed with the idea of blogging for about three years now and only this year I took the leap of faith and I Got Er Going.

If you’ve tried all the Pinterest “How To’s” and are an Epic failure at them – just like I am, then perhaps blogging really is your thing.

It’s fun, It’s social, It’s cool.

You might think “Everyone’s a blogger these days”. People are even building websites to blog about their upcoming weddings and to “journal” the steps along the way. COOL!

That’s really all blogging is. An online journal. Sharing your knowledge, thoughts, nifty new ideas, etc with a group of like minded individuals who want to hear what you have to say (or they get some light relief from your writing style). I love to raise a smile…Or an eyebrow. I’ll take what I can get.

Now that everyone’s blogs are connected to their Facebook and Instagram accounts and blogs get tweeted; you have to update your Google plus and Linked in and…don’t forget the awesome Pinterest graphic to drag people over to your post… Blogging is SUPER SOCIAL…you just can’t get away from that.

It can make for a lot of hard work but there are Social platforms out there that help you write once and send it to all your accounts at the same time, Or schedule them to go at different times. I use Hootsuite. Super easy!

Are you looking for a way to make some extra cash?

Some of us start blogging purely as a way to reach out and help others with our wisdom and expertise; others blog to be able to express themselves and some just blog for money.

I’m in for ALL THREE! I want to help. I have some wisdom and a lot of expertise. I want a creative outlet to express myself in and I want more money. oooh – I went there.

Making money by doing what you love isn’t a crime people. Most people take jobs (initially) based upon their passions as they leave college or Uni. It’s only when the harsh reality of the past due bills crash in that we are forced to put aside the dreams and “knuckle down” to a REAL job. NO THANKS!

Making money through blogging starts off REALLY slowly but, as it gains momentum, the rewards are greater and greater.

There’s a type of High from receiving commissions checks that show someone loves what you do, they trust what you say and they signed up or purchased something that you recommended. How would that make you feel?

In the beginning you might not be able to quit your day job and blog full time but, if that’s your goal, 18 months to a year is normally what it takes to get there. Currently, I work part-time and blog part-time. It’s a happy balance for me and means that, at least three days a week I have to wear pants! It also means that my blogging income affords me some security and peace of mind.

Of course – there is another type of blog..

Professional offices networking through their blogs.

You can’t go onto many websites today and not find a tab marked Blog. My kids high school has a blog page. My girlfriends hotel has a blog page. You have a professional business and want to expand your networking reach…then you need to have a blog page. Not only do you need a blog page but you also need someone to write for it consistently. Updating your professional blog sporadically is a surefire way to annoy people. They want news. They want updates. They want giveaways.

Blogging gives you a great opportunity to expose your content to a wider audience which in turn, may lead to more leads and bigger, better sales.

To give you a greater insight go check out Why do people blog? – The benefits of blogging.

You don’t have to take my word for it. When I searched Why do people blog this is what I found:

About 1,720,000,000 results

Off the top of my head I would say that’s one or two more people than just me and you who are interested in this topic.

 

Next.. How to start your own blog (in minutes)

XO

Anna